Bill or tariff holder



(No Model.) 3 Sheet-Sheet 1. M. T. FREEMAN, J. S. POTTS & G. OOWAN.

BILL 0R TARIFF HOLDER.

No. 407,857. I 1 Patented July 30, 188 9;

Att'y.

INVENTORS (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. T. FREEMAN, J. S. POTTS 82; S. G. OOWAN.

BILL 0R TARIFF HOLDER.

No. 407.857. Patented July 30, 1889.

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N. PETERS. PhoXu-Lilhcgraphnr. Washinglun. o. c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. .M. T. FREEMAN. J. S. POTTS .& S. G. GOWAN.

BILL OR TARIFF HOLDER.

Patented July 30, 1889.

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UNITED STATES ATENT FFicE.

METHREN T. FREEMAN, JOSEPH S. POTTS, AND STEPHEN COWVAN, OF

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

BiLL OR TARIFF HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,857, dated July 30, 1889.

Application filed May 4, 1889. Serial No. 309,595. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, METHREN T. FREEMAN, JOSEPH S. Porrs, and STEPHEN G. COVVAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and .State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bill or Taritf Holders; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a bill or tariff holder provided with a cover which will securely retain such papers without necessitating their mutilation, and which will also permit their easy insertion, inspection, or removal, and will also obviate their tendency to slip when any considerable quantity in a pile is compressed at one edge, which is for many purposes the most convenientand suitable manner of holding such articles.

The'invention consists in the various devices and combinations thereof hereinafter described and pointed out.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section; Fig. 2, a transverse section on line 00 m, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a perspective View of a modified form; Fig. l, a section showing an adjustable cover; Fig. 5, a sectional plan of the same; Fig. 6, a sectional plan of modification of a detail; Fig. 7, a modified form of desk suitable for the support of the holder. Fig. Sis a detail, and Fig. 9 is a view of a modification.

In the several figures, 1 indicates a cover or covers resting on a desk, table, or other like article 2, and secured thereto by a bolt 3 and thumb-nut 4, or by equivalent fastenings, which are adapted to hold a clamping-plate or clamping-plates upon a bill or upon bills and secure them to the desk. Each bolt passes through the desk-top and is'held on one side by its head, and may have on its other end a screw-threaded portion to receive the nut. If but one of these screw-threaded bolts is employed, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a guide-bolt (3 may be employed to prevent the plate from moving laterally around the fastening-bolt 3.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, a double cover is provided, each leaf of the same having a binding-plate 5 secured to its rear edge, asindicated. One of these plates is prolonged at each end and formed into journals which have a bearing under staples 8, or other suitable bearings may be provided. The guides 6 and fastening-bolts 3 are placed at one side of the binding-plates 5 to permit such plates to lap over or rest upon the edge of bills placed under the same, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. The bills or similar articles being placed upon the bottom cover, and their left-hand end being placed in contact with or near to the bolts, the nut can be turned to force down the upper plate upon the margin of the bill or pile of bills to securely clamp the same. If it be desired to insert or remove a bill, the nut is turned to loosen the plate to permit the operation. of the bills without removal thereof and without inconvenience, the holder may be turned on its journals, as indicated in Fig. 1, Whereupon the file of bills can be opened, the covers being made flexible, or flexible and elastic, for this purpose. Any stiff paper or clothboard or similar material may be used for covers.

By the use of the journals above described the necessity of looking sidewise under the upper bills to read on a lower one is avoided.

It is obvious that hinges or other equivalents could be substituted by a mechanic.

In Fig. 9 the fastening-bolts extend down through the desk or table, and the thumb-nuts, which are beneath the same, can be manipulated from beneath in the slots 12 when the file is turned down. These slots also provide for the lateral movement of the nuts when the holder is turned on its journals for opening the file, and such turning will have the effect to bring the thumb-nuts or equivalent fastening devices up through the slots and above the plane of the table, where they can be operated. \Vithout such or like provisions said nuts would bear on the under side -of the table and prevent the turning of the holder on its journals.

In a large pile of bills several inches high, such as is liable to occur in railroad use, for which our invention is particularly well To permit the easy inspection adapted, the center is liable to be pushed toward one side by pressure on the margin of the pile. To obviate this we provide one or more intermediate plates 9, which break the finished pile into sections and obviate the tendency to bulge at the center. To prevent slipping of the exterior bill the clampingplates are provided with the downwardly-inclined edge, as indicated at 10, Fig. 4, to embrace the rods. These plates may be pierced gith Eholes or laterally slotted, as indicated in It is not essential that the guide-rods pass through either or any of the plates, or that more than one be employed, though we prefer to use two and to pass these through the plate. Theymay be either secured to or made integral with the bottom plate, as desired,

' when such plate is employed.

as slotted at 11 to permit the cover to be moved toward the left, so as to permit the same to fold over and properly cover piles of different heights. Such adjustment may be provided for by extending the plate beyond each end of the cover and providing two fastening-bolts, as indicated in Fig. 6.

The particular form and arrangement of the desk or other article to which our device is secured is not of the gist of the invention. That shown in Fig. 3 is suitable for a small office, as it can be dropped against the wall.

That shown in Fig. 7 is adapted to entirely inclose the holder and file.

The important features of our improvement are those which contribute to securely holding the bills, without mutilation, in piles of several inches in height, if desired, and in a manner to permit easy insertion or removal andready inspection.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent 1s 1. A bill or tariff holder consisting of a desk, combined with a clamping-bar, a fastening device, a guide bar or bolt, and a cover movable upon the fastening device and lengthwise of the same, substantially as specified.

2. Abill or tariff holder adaptedto be moved laterally to fold over piles of varying heights,

combined with a clamping-plate, a fasteningbolt, and a desk, substantially as specified.

3. In a bill or tariff holder, the combination of the clampingplates and fasteningbolts with intermediate vertically-movable plates, substantially as described.

4. A bill or tariff holder consisting of clamping-plates and a fastening device, combined with a table having slots to permit the fastening device to be manipulated in the same, substantially as specified.

5. A bill or tariff holder consisting of clamping-plates hinged or journaled to a table and a fastening device, combined with the table having a slot adjacent to the fastening to permit its lateral movement when the holder is turned to open the file.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

METHREN T. FREEMAN. JOSEPH S. POTTS. STEPHEN G. COWAN.

Vitnesses:

M. W. ANDERSON, E. 'l. ECKLES. 

